1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fluid pump of the radial type and more particularly to a valveless radial pump.
There is currently a need for a fluid pump capable of moving highly viscous liquids without damaging the pump, for example, moving a concrete forming mixture of cement and aggregate from a mobile mixer to a remote location through a hose. Also, there is the problem of pump movement of a highly viscose polymer utilized as a flow enhancer in pipe lines. This polymer, when stressed in passing through the valves of conventional pumps, produced crystalline flakes extremely abrasive to known metals in pumping mechanisms and the polymer tended to carry debris, such as rocks, pipe scale, and welding slag, into the pumping unit and defied filtering efforts as a result of its density.
This invention provides a valveless pump capable of moving viscous fluids, such as those described above, without damage to the pump.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Radial pumps are well known, some of which have utilized pistons of varying diameter or a subpiston, which generates very high pressure fluid output, such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,313,714. This patent discloses a high pressure radial pump delivering a high velocity jet stream discharge for washing or cleaning achieved by a plurality of inlet and outlet valve equipped radially disposed cylinders interconnected by inlet and outlet fluid manifolds. Each piston includes a small diameter pump piston 25 moved by a larger diameter operating piston 65. One operating piston 65 is rigidly connected with a central ring pivotally connected with the remaining operating pistons. The pistons are reciprocated by an eccentric cam mounted on a drive shaft.
The principal distinction of the pump of this invention over prior patents, including the above named patent, is the elimination of intake and exhaust valves associated with each piston. Inlet and discharge fluid flow thorugh a single tubular flow path communicating with each cylinder is achieved by sequential piston head contact with a cylinder head partition in the fluid flow path at each cylinder.